As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Due to consumer demand for smaller and more powerful information handling systems, manufacturers strive to implement new methods to meet these demands. One such method includes the development of a low profile information handling system, such as a 1U server.
A 1U server is typically designed to fit within the confines of a rack or rack system, such that another device may be placed above and below the 1U server in the rack. The vertical space within the rack system is generally defined in vertical mounting unit increments, often referred to as “U's”. A mounting unit or “U” is typically 1.75 inches. Thus, the 1U server refers to a server designed to fit within a confined space of a rack with a height of 1U or approximately 1.75 inches.
Placing a server within a restricted area creates problems with heat dissipation. Typically, servers use an air cooling system to establish airflow though the unit for cooling or ventilation. Because of the limited space within a server, manufacturers have thermal design concerns when designing locations for server components such as a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) card that may obstruct the airflow.
Due in part to the restricted space and thermal design concerns, PCI cards are typically mounted in a horizontal position at the back of the server. In the horizontal position, the use of conventional screws to retain the card in the server was not feasible. Thus, manufacturers designed alternative methods to attach the cards to the server chassis. However, many of the methods utilize metal brackets made for sheet metal or large plastic retainers that restrict airflow through the server.